Labor Day Weekend

Labor Day weekend wasn’t wild – but I did have a couple of outings planned. To start, it was First Friday, also known as the Oakland Art Murmur. Galleries open up to display local art during this monthly street festival, complete with live music, live art, and a plethora of food trucks. My girlfriend and I actually skipped the long food truck lines and went to one of our favorite burrito stops (which sadly no longer exists): 

We then took a brief stroll through part of the First Friday spectacle, where Telegraph Avenue is closed down to vehicles and becomes packed with people. Here are a few pictures: 

We found this scene at the side of the road rather perplexing. No one was within a 30 foot radius of Tweety Bird and the Empty Shoes.

The next day, we tried out a hiking spot that was new to us. Here are a few images from the Strawberry Canyon Fire Trail.

Later, we took a walk through downtown Oakland to visit a friend, and passed by this completed mural by an anonymous artist who goes simply by BiP. It’s one of my favorites, and depicts Emma, a 91-year-old Oakland resident who immigrated here from Argentina. Check out more of BiP’s artwork on Instagram

Sadly, this mural is now completely obscured by new construction.

I also just liked the way this red sign contrasted the beautiful blue sky: 

And finally, my friend Daniel gave us a tour of his apartment, where he recently hung two of my images. Here’s the one in his living room. Thanks Daniel!